TikTok For Business Success In 2025: Key Trends And Tactics

In 2025, understanding social media marketing is essential for small businesses, and TikTok is a great platform for connecting with audiences, raising brand awareness, and driving engagement to boost sales.

Thanks to its unique algorithm, which prioritises the quality of the content and viewer interest over follower count, TikTok is a great social media marketing choice for small businesses that want to get noticed.

Plus, with over a billion active users worldwide, TikTok has transformed the type of content that users want to see online. Gone are over-styled and perfect ads, and in their place is more relatable, “raw” content, meaning you don’t need a pro camera crew to create something successful.

In this article, we explain how brands of all sizes can harness the power of TikTok for business, exploring strategies and tips that will help you showcase your brand effectively on this enormously popular platform.

💡Key takeaways

You should keep TikTok videos short and sweet, around 15-60 seconds long.
Some effective content forms are behind-the-scenes, product demos/tutorials, storytime and POV videos.
The main ads you can utilise on TikTok are in-feed, TopView, branded effects and branded hashtags.
The key metrics you should look out for are likes, comments, and demographics.
The cost for advertising on TikTok can range from £5 to £40,000, depending on the ad format you choose.

This article will cover:

Key benefits of TikTok for small businesses
Setting up a TikTok business account
Creating content that works on TikTok
Engaging with the TikTok community
Utilising TikTok analytics
Setting up TikTok Ads
Selling on TikTok Shop

Key benefits of TikTok for small businesses

Using TikTok for business can be one of the most effective types of digital marketing when it comes to engaging with younger audiences, driving brand awareness, and creating compelling content. The key benefits of using TikTok for business are:

Wide reach

With over 1 billion users worldwide, TikTok offers a huge international audience to target. According to statistics by The Social Shepherd, 61% of users discover new brands and products on the platform. This makes TikTok a powerful tool not just for visibility, but also for driving real interest and conversions.

Viral potential

TikTok’s algorithm works by promoting engaging content, meaning you have a better chance of going viral than on other platforms. Many small brands have gained significant popularity through TikTok in the last year, including Made By Mitchell, Hair Syrup, and Little Moons.

Community building

TikTok can be a great way of building an engaged community that aligns with your core beliefs. It can also help enhance brand loyalty, as 45% of users say that a brand becomes relevant to them when it demonstrates a good understanding of customer needs.

Cost-effectiveness

Organic growth is possible on TikTok, and there are also a variety of TikTok ad options depending on your budget. After all, 73% of users say they’ve purchased a product after seeing it on the platform, so it’s a great opportunity to gain visibility for your business, without having to spend a fortune.

Sales increases

TikTok Shop means selling directly on the platform, thus boosting your sales. Figures by Link Digital found that the platform’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) reached $33.2 billion in 2024 – more than double compared to the previous year. This proves that TikTok can be an extremely effective way to drive direct sales and scale your business further.

Setting up a TikTok business account

There are three different types of TikTok accounts you can set up, a personal account, an organisation account, or a business account.

For your small business, you’ll want to opt for a business account. A business account gives you access to all of TikTok’s marketing tools, including analytics and ads, and you can also set up a TikTok shop, making it a great choice for those who want to use TikTok for dropshipping.

To set up your TikTok Business account, you need to:

Download the TikTok app and create a new account
Tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner, and navigate to ‘Settings & Privacy’ then ‘Account’
Select ‘Switch to a Business Account’
Choose the category that accurately describes your business

If you already have a personal account, you can switch to a business account through the ‘Settings & Privacy’ section.

Don't forget!

Optimise your TikTok profile by using your logo as your profile photo and adding your website URL.

Creating content that works on TikTok

TikTok for business is all about creating the right type of content for your brand and target audience.

Understanding TikTok content types

TikTok is all about short and engaging videos that can vary in length. If you’re recording in the app, they can be between 15 seconds and 10 minutes, but if you’re uploading an external video, they can be up to 60 minutes long.

We wouldn’t recommend uploading anything near that length, though. Keep your videos short, sweet, and engaging, and hook the audience in those first few seconds.

You can also create live streams on TikTok, where you film and upload in real-time, and users can watch along and comment.

These can be great for real-time engagement, and content ideas include Q&As and product demos.

Here's what Clara Gunthner, Content Producer at Startups, advises:

``The best thing about TikTok is that you can be really scrappy. People don’t expect or want perfectly curated videos, they’re there for the realness. So it’s a great platform if you want to make your brand feel more human.``

Editing TikTok video content

TikTok’s in-app editor is generally easy to use, so you don’t have to be a professional to post engaging video content. TikTok offers a straightforward interface with a variety of tools, including trimming, text, filters, clip order adjustment, and sound.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for more advanced editing tools, it might be worth looking into third-party tools like CapCut, Vimeo, or Picsart. For example, CapCut (owned by Bytedance – the same company that owns TikTok) offers a wide variety of effects, filters and transitions, as well as drag-and-drop features that allow you to move clips and adjust speed easily.

Generating content ideas

So, what content should you be creating for your TikTok account? Well, that will all depend on your brand and your audience demographic, but some ideas for engaging TikTok content are:

Behind-the-scenes videos that showcase the personality of your brand. This could be anything from a day-in-the-life of your staff to the process of creating a new product.
Product demos and tutorials showcasing how to use your products. These are great to both convince people to make a purchase and as an educational tool for existing customers.
Customer testimonials and reviews are another great content idea. You can create stylised videos of written reviews or get video testimonials from happy customers.
Quick tips that are related to your business go down well on TikTok. For example, if you run a bakery, why not share your top baking tips or favourite seasonal recipes?
Trending hashtags and challenges are a great way of making your brand seem current and targeting a new audience – just make sure they remain relevant to your business.
Collaboration videos with influencers, creators, or even other businesses can help you reach a new audience and further increase your brand awareness.
#Storytime videos are extremely popular with TikTok users, so sharing your own can help build authenticity, such as a story about a difficult customer or your funniest fails.
POV (“point of view”) videos are also a big hit on the platform as they’re a fun and relatable way to connect with your audience. Also a good opportunity to show off your brand personality and what you sell.

Best practices for creating TikTok content

Remember these best practice principles when creating your business TikTok content.

Keep videos short and engaging, aim for between 15-60 seconds.
Use popular music and trending sounds when appropriate.
Avoid overly polished content and opt for natural and authentic videos instead.
Post consistently and consider creating a content calendar to keep on track.

You should use your TikTok account to surprise and delight your customers. Find out more about this marketing technique in our expert guide.

Engaging with the TikTok community

If you want to use TikTok to build brand awareness and connect with potential customers then you need to be engaging with your community.

TikTok isn’t just about creating and posting content, you need to also be an active participant in conversations and interact with your audience.

Why? Because engagement matters.

The benefits of being actively engaged on TikTok as a small business are:

Fosters loyalty and trust with your audience. Users are more likely to trust you if they feel listened to and engaged with you.
Builds connections with your audience, allowing you to create a more human and approachable brand image.
Boosts visibility for your content as TikTok’s algorithm tends to favour accounts that actively like, comment and share.

How to engage with your TikTok community

Reply to comments: responding to comments shows users that you value their inputs and insights. Don’t forget to make sure you reply in the tone of voice that best aligns with your brand!
Engage with other content: like, comment, and share content relevant to your niche to help build connections with other users and grow a community.
Encourage user-generated content: ask your followers to tag you in and share any content that features your products so you can then share this content on your profile too.

Here's what Clara Gunthner, Content Producer at Startups, advises:

``I use TikTok to test ideas before implementing them across other platforms and to have a bit of fun with the brand. I also like to spend some time on the app just to watch – for trends and inspiration, and to see what other creators are doing or what’s working in my industry.``

Utilising TikTok analytics

If you’re planning to use TikTok for business growth, then you need to keep track of how well your content is performing.

The best way to do that is with TikTok analytics.

Understanding analytics

If you set it up as a business account, you’ll have access to various metrics, including:

Video views
Profile views
Likes
Comments
Shares
Unique viewers

An overview of the key metrics in TikTok’s analytics section.

But which ones should you pay the most attention to?

We’d recommend keeping an eye on metrics around engagement, such as likes and comments. This will help give you an idea of whether your content is truly resonating with your audience or not.

If you have a good number of likes and comments, then it proves that your content is working. On the other hand, if you’re not getting the engagement you were hoping for, you may need to consider changing your content strategy.

We use the “content” tab to see our most popular videos in terms of views, likes and followers.

Additionally, it’s also a good idea to keep a close eye on your audience demographic to ensure you’re reaching the right audience. For example, if you’re promoting a product aimed at Millennials or older, but most of your views are coming from Gen Z teens, you may need to tweak your content style.

Our follower insights give us an overview of the age, location and gender of our TikTok followers.

Remember, when you first get started, it’s a lot of trial and error, and if things aren’t working, keep reiterating until you get the results you want.

Top tips for TikTok success

Be authentic and show the human side of your business. Remember, most TikTok users are looking for relatable content not overproduced adverts.
Leverage trends and hashtags to stay relevant and increase your profile’s discoverability.
Engage with your audience to build a loyal community.
Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds and keep your content short and entertaining.
Post consistently to show TikTok’s algorithm that your account is active.
Use all of the tools TikTok has on offer such as duets, stitches, music, and video effects.
Keep track of your TikTok analytics to establish what’s working and what’s not and adapt your content accordingly.

Setting up TikTok Ads

TikTok ads are promotional content that businesses pay for, allowing them to target their user base via paid ads.

There are various types you can utilise, including:

In-feed ads that appear in a user’s “for you” page (FYP).
TopView ads pop up as soon as the user opens the app and take over the screen for a few seconds, before changing into their FYP.
Branded effects are filters that users can use on their videos.
Branded hashtags appear at the top of the discovery page and are used to encourage users to record themselves doing something in line with the product (e.g. testing out a new mascara line) and posting it with said hashtag.

While you do need to put some money into running TikTok ads, they can be cost-efficient if you run them wisely.

How much are TikTok ads?

The cost of advertising on TikTok varies depending on the payment model you choose. Here’s a quick rundown of the costs you can expect:

Cost Per Mille (CPM) (per 1,000 impressions)	Cost Per Click (CPC)	Minimum Campaign Budget
£5-£10	£0.10-£0.30 per click	£500-£1,000, depending on the ad format

The cost can also depend on the type of ad format you go for. For example:

CPMs for in-feed ads start from around £5
TopView ads start from around £40,000 per day
Branded hashtags can start from £100,000

Pro tip: keeping your ad spend low

Start with smaller ads, such as in-feed ads, rather than the more premium and expensive TopView option.
Focus first on the audience, get your target audience right before you begin upping your ad spend.
Use TikTok’s tools, such as its video editor, to create your ads without the need to invest in professional help.

How to pay for TikTok ads

There are two ways you can pay for ads on TikTok – either through manual or automatic payments. Either way, the first thing you’ll need to do is set up an account on TikTok’s Advertising page and provide relevant information (e.g. country/region, industry, business name, etc.).

To set up manual payments, you’ll need to:

Select manual payment as your billing option when creating your TikTok Ads Manager account
Log in to TikTok’s Ad Manager and go to the Tools tab
Click Settings and then select Finance
Select Add balance

For automatic payments:

Log in to TikTok Ads Manager and go to the Tools tab
Go to Settings and select Finance
Select My billing option and choose automatic payment

Selling on TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is an ecommerce feature that’s integrated into the app (it can be found on the “shop” section at the bottom of the screen). With over 200,000 active businesses in 2024, TikTok Shop has become a prime selling point for ecommerce businesses in the UK.

With the rise of social commerce, TikTok Shop has become the most dominant platform for selling on social media. According to statistics by Root Digital, 58% of users make purchases through the platform, equalling around 870 million people.

How to open your TikTok Shop

To set up your TikTok Shop, simply follow these steps:

Log in to your TikTok account and go to the Seller Centre (Note: you can’t use TikTok Shop if you’re using an organisation account)
Choose your country and select Enter
Select your business type. You’ll also need to provide your business name and your tax identification number (TIN)
Verify your information
Enter your shop’s warehouse or pickup address. You will also need to provide your country or region and a street address for your business
Enter the name of your preferred contact person
Enter your postcode, phone number and a return address for your shop
Agree to the relevant terms and conditions
Select Start Your Business

Next, you’ll be required to verify your documents and link your business bank account before you can start selling. You can find out more about these steps here.

Final thoughts

Learning how to use TikTok for business can change the game for brands that want to connect with audiences in new and creative ways.

By creating unique content, engaging with users, and leveraging TikTok’s tools and trends, you can grow your presence and brand awareness and boost sales.

TikTok works best with simple, organic, and relatable content. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be engaging and relevant.

Lucy Nixon - content writer

With 10 years experience in the digital marketing industry, Lucy is a content writer specialising in ecommerce, website building and all things small business. Her passion is breaking down tricky topics into digestible and engaging content for readers. She's also committed to uncovering the best platforms, tools, and strategies, researching meticulously to provide hands-on tips and advice.